As a comic store retailer it’s my job to distill down those special somethings that make people excited to leave the comfort of their easy chairs to venture out into the world and come into my store. I’ve designed my entire business around the concept of making the Isotope into something much more than just a place to purchase goods. It’s in the store’s DNA, in the culture of people, and in everything we do. I think the best brick-and-mortar retail establishments are all about creating awesome experiences and crafting wonderful memories. And I’m always excited to see other folks in the comic industry who are on the same page as I am.

So when longtime Isotope amigos Sam Humphries and Rob G wrote to me asking if we would like to be one of the few select retailers to get to give away their limited edition show poster prints for folks who buy the first issue of the upcoming CBGB comic? You know I smiled! Not only were our pals pretty much on the exact same wave-length as me, but I actually may have been the person who taught Rob G that double-devil salute (which I first saw a guy holding high at a Danzig show years ago and you can see me doing the same in the pit in this here Gwar video).

Anyway, my staff and I were already pretty excited about the release of the four issue CBGB comic already… with stories from Jamie Hernandez, Kieron Gillen, Chuck BB, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Sam Humphries, Rob G, and the rather awesome Scissor Sisters songstress Ana Matronic? How could we not be?!

But, for me, nothing has giving me that wide-eyed feeling of years gone by more than reading Bulletproof Coffin. Reading this book was like stepping into a time-machine to when I first discovered things like Madman, Mr X, Silent Invasion, Flaming Carrot, and Marshal Law, transporting me back to a time when I was devouring up as many of that particular era of first-generation Direct Market comics as my finances made possible.

Bulletproof Coffin has all the best trappings of my favorite books of those times. There’s that familiar scrawled-in-a-fever-dream quality to David Hine‘s writing, the quirky Twilight Zoned out characters, plenty of references to obscure 50’s culture that never existed, and strange mysteries that probably won’t ever be fully explained anyway. This particular book is jam-packed with hallucinatory Golden Age comics-within-comics from an alternate dimension by the creator who practically invented the cliche, Deadline‘s style cut-up king Shaky Kane. While I think the issue’s cover is doing the book no favors (which is a surprise because all the “covers” on the comic’s interior are so strong), but one look inside at Kane’s gorgeous art has invoked more than a few “wows” in my customers with it’s style that invokes Mike Allred and Geoff Darrow, Jack Kirby and Brandon Graham.

Go ahead and try out the first issue. This one’s got an Isotope Guarantee on it, so if you don’t like it feel free to bring it back. email hidden; JavaScript is required or give us a call to make sure you get a copy before they’re all gone!